December 28, 2023

December 28, 2023

Volume 53 - No. 52

HISTORY’S MOST FAMOUS TEENAGER

MARY OF NAZARETH FACT FROM FICTION

by Friedrich Gomez She is, without question, the most famous teenager in world history.

Whether one subscribes to Biblical Scriptures or not, regardless if one is atheist or believer, most citizens on planet Earth – across different cultures and language translations – have heard of Mary of Nazareth, and the alleged supernatural claims connecting her to the Christian Messiah (derived from the Hebrew word, Mashiach or Moshiach, meaning “Anointed One”).

AS A HISTORICAL FIGURE, SHE IS VIEWED BY BOTH SECULAR & RELIGIOUS SCHOLARS. There is no serious dispute among both the world’s most august religious and non-religious scholars that Mary of Nazareth truly existed as a historical figure.

The diversion occurs regarding both Christian and Islamic claims of the supernatural events surrounding her life, and the opposing views of non-religious scholars who study her historical reality

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without subscribing to any aspects of divinity.

That is not say that secular (nonreligious) scholars do not study the religious faiths and their perceived “dogma” belief system in the same way that secular scholars study all ancient cultures and their perceptions of various deities.

OVER HALF OF EARTH’S POPULATION BELIEF MARY’S VIRGIN BIRTH TO JESUS. Whether such claims are true or not, it is a staggering and mindboggling fact that over half of the

planet’s 8 billion inhabitants believe in the “Virgin Birth,” that is, that Mary miraculously gave birth to her son (Jesus) purely through divine intervention.

Mary’s life is one of such fantastic claims and events that they, collectively, stagger the human imagination to the point of contention.

Even through the eyes of the religious faithful, her life still seems to be one of incredulous earthly circumstances.

As one source religious source exclaims, “With-

Mary

See Page 2

The Paper • Page 2 • December 28, 2023

Mary from page 1 out any special instructions from God, this illiterate teenage girl raised a son who changed the world.”

(Mary of Nazareth, A Mother’s Life, A&E Video, 1995) THE MOST UNIQUE EXPERIENCE OF ANY TEENAGER IN WORLD HISTORY. Professor Paul L. Maier, Ph.D. from Western Michigan University, puts it all into a more isolated and deeply-human perspective of a frightened teenage girl who struggled through confusion and fear, to make the most difficult decisions imaginable.

As Dr. Maier phrases it: “I think Mary’s role in rearing Jesus must have been the most unique experience that any person on this planet, man or woman, has ever endured or experienced.”

world wherein we have become somewhat desensitised to the harsh vagaries of life, perhaps it is truly impossible to fully grasp and comprehend the (alleged) supernatural events which the young teenage Mary faced in an ultra-conservative Jewish world, more than two thousand years ago.

By becoming, inexplicably, pregnant out of wedlock, an act punishable by stoning to death, the terrorised young girl suddenly plunged her entire family into a horrifying scandal. For any mother-to-be, the stakes were dangerously high, for in the midst of this sexual maelstrom, not only was Mary’s life now at risk, but also the life of her precious, unborn – and alleged -- sacred child.

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED 21 CENTURIES AGO? What really happened those many centuries ago?

THROUGH SECULAR EYES: MARY’S OUT-OF-WEDLOCK PREGNANCY ENDANGERED HER LIFE.

Is the virgin birth just a fanciful tale among the many Biblical accounts, many of which seem to stretch the limits of credibility?

Living in today’s contemporary

Did “divine birth’ really happen?

Give Us This Day Our Daily Chuckle

You tend to avoid spicy foods.

You notice the waitresses are getting younger and younger.

I remember when a friend one day said, “why don’t we stop at Charlie’s for lunch?”

This week, a compendium of wit, wisdom and neat stuff you can tell at parties. Enjoy!

How to tell you’re getting old: You take notice of the fact that the restaurants you’ve been patronizing for the past several years tend to be filled with old people.

Suddenly, you realize that these patrons are the same age as you!

You notice that the waitress’s mouth is moving but you can’t quite hear her. Your table mate tends to mumble a lot.

You look for the “Senior Special” on the menu, automatically.

“Nah,” sez me, “Charlie’s is a restaurant for old people. I ain’t ever gonna get old.”

Guess where we eat 3-4 times a month? Guess who’s on a first name basis with Charlie, and with all the waitresses? Guess which waitresses know what I want even before I order - and have already written it down?

Many secular scholars deem it another fabrication without credence. One could invoke the late, brilliant astronomer, Carl Sagan’s chant: “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.”

In the final analysis, there seems to be no verifiable proof that such an event, as previously described, actually occurred. Equally true, there is no actual proof that it did not.

Come with me now, as we travel back in time to explore lesser known facts about history’s most famous teenager and, in so doing, to hopefully uncover new insights and revelations often missing in previous biographies. As such, this article will not include garden-variety commentaries (such as the Nativity Scene, the Flight Into Egypt, etc.) all of which can be read elsewhere, in great abundance, and of which we are, only, too familiar.

The events which gird Mary of Nazareth’s life almost implores us to investigate more deeply because, despite her world renown and though she is celebrated

man escort at local retirement homes. I’ve already laid out my powder blue leisure suit, white shoes, white belt and flowery Hawaiian shirt. I reckon I’ll attract a great many lady clients in my new career. I figure I can keep up with the demand as long as it doesn’t exceed once or twice a month.

I’m old, you know.

Ciao for now!

••• Last year I joined a support group of fellow procrastinators.

We haven’t met yet.

•••

Guess who named a breakfast item the “Lyle Special?” (French toast, two eggs, bacon or sausage. About $10).

I don’t need anger management.

I need people to stop pissing me off!

••••

•••

It is said that growing old ain’t for sissies.

I’m wondering if I crawl into our electric dryer and run it for 10 minutes if I’ll come out wrinkle free and 3 sizes smaller?

I sure agree.

•••

People come up to you, shake your hand, call you by name and inquire as to your well being. You are very pleasant to them. After they leave you wonder who in the hell they are.

One tends to have occasional losses of sense of balance, sometimes dizziness, often forgetfulness. Aches and pains are frequent companions. I suspect my career as a ballet dancer or professional quarterback are both in serious jeopardy.

Either the Mayans were wrong or the afterlife is remarkably similar to life on earth.

You tend to favor menu items that are in large type.

I may, however, became a gentle-

It’s almost 2024 I’m a year older and I still have so many unan-

with deep reverence by countless people for more than twenty centuries, she remains shrouded in mystery.

Her personal life and eventual death remains, hugely, unknown.

MARY MAINLY SPOKE ARAMAIC IN DAILY LIFE, ALONG WITH HEBREW. Re-examining ancient texts, and eliciting the opinions of the world’s leading secular and Christian scholars, new light is shone upon this humble Hebrew girl, known as Mary of Nazareth in the New Testament (or Maryam in Aramaic, the dominant spoken language of her people during her lifetime).

Although Mary was given a Hebrew, the language Mary spoke was most certainly Aramaic, an agreement strongly adhered to, across the board, from antiquarian experts and Judeo- Christian pedagogues.

She lived the major portion of her life in the north, in Nazareth.

The local tongue in that region, Mary continued on page 3 swered questions!! I haven’t found out who let the dogs out, where’s the beef, how to get to Sesame Street, why Dora the Explorer doesn’t just use Google maps, why all flavors of Fruit Loops taste the same, or how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop. Why are eggs packaged in a flimsy carton, but batteries are secured in plastic that’s tough as nails? Why is abbreviated such a long word?

Why is there a “D” in fridge but not in refrigerator? Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor yet dish washing liquid is made with real lemons? Why are sterilized needles needed for lethal injections?

Why do you have to “put your two cents in” but it’s only “a penny for your thoughts”? (Where’s that extra penny going to?) Why does The Alphabet Song and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?

(And, why did you just try to sing those two previous songs? LOL!!)

What exactly is Victoria’s secret, and where is Waldo? Can you hear me now? Why do we park on driveways and drive on parkways?

Why do kamikaze pilots wear helmets? I have many more questions but so little time.

Maybe 2024 will answer these questions and more.

•••

••• Chuckles continued on page 14

The Paper • Page 3 • December 28, 2023

Mary from page 2 as well as the surrounding areas within Galilee, was Aramaic.

To this day, Aramaic is still spoken in that area of the Middle East, to the north of Israel and to the south of Syria. In fact, Aramaic was the so-called ‘mother tongue’ of the Galilee area, during her time.

EVEN THE SACRED JEWISH BOOK, THE TALMUD, IS WRITTEN IN ARAMAIC. Even the sacred Jewish book, the Talmud, has not changed its language in thousands of years – it is still written, today, totally in Aramaic, and not in Hebrew.

(Aramaic, incidentally, is not a dialect of Hebrew, as some may think.)

Mary, of course, spoke Hebrew, the ancient language of which the Jewish Torah (the first five books of the Christian Olde Testament) is written.

And of course, she was given a Hebrew name at birth: Miryam.

MARY’S EARLY YEARS & PARENTS. The names of Mary’s father and mother are never mentioned in the Christian Bible.

However, the second century Gospel of James, a non-canonical text, is the first ancient source to enumerate her parents by name: her father, Joachim, and her mother, Anne.

Even though this is an apocryphal manuscript not included in the New Testament, many contemporary Bible scholars now grant veracity to this particular parental claim.

MARY’S GROWING-UP YEARS. Nothing is truly known of Mary’s early, formative years. Primarily, because there is no mention of it in the New Testament Bible.

However, historians (both Christian and secular) are comfortable in their assessments of what her life may have been like, in ancient Jewish times. She is assessed to be of Jewish peasantry.

In general, times were harsh, particularly for the Jewish lower classes.

Oodles!

However archeologists and hard science seem to suggest that her village population at the time was somewhere between 70 to 150. Nevertheless, this estimate is unproven.

Check out Oodles every week for listing of civic and service club meetings, and more!

Like her surrounding neighbours, Mary’s parents most likely laboured long hours in the fields, turning the soil, to earn a modest living.

Email it to: Lisa.ThePaper@gmail.com If you submit photos do not embed them. Send them as jpg, tif, or pdf attachments only.

The Paper comes out on Thursdays. Deadline is the previous Friday.

Simple press releases are the best: who, what, where, when, why.

Please no brochures or flyers. Keep it simple You’ll get more ink!

Even as a very small child, Mary probably worked alongside her parents to help out in every way she could.

She was also expected to do other tasks.

“I imagine that she helped her mother with food preparation, which would have been much more extensive than most of us have ever experienced. If they were farmers, she certainly helped in the planting and harvesting. Perhaps even in preparing things for the market.” (Dr. Beverly R. Gaventa, Ph.D, Princeton Theological Seminary.)

Only the barest of survival skills were afforded Mary as a young peasant girl. In her day she, most assuredly, learned the rudiments of cooking, farming, and weaving. Most likely, that would have been the extent of young Mary’s education. In the ancient world, any schooling beyond that would have been a rare exception, even a luxury, which most of the peasantry were not granted -- most especially for little girls.

Many Biblical historians say Mary of Nazareth, more likely than not, was probably illiterate.

“It’s not to definitely say Mary couldn’t read or write. She could have read Scripture on her own, but it is highly unlikely. On the other hand, her memory was probably better than ours because she didn’t rely on the written word.” (Professor Beverly R. Gaventa, ibid.)

Most authorities on the Christian Bible agree that Mary of Nazareth was well versed on the Torah (the Christian Old Testament).

“Probably in the small town where she grew up there was a synagogue. It doesn’t necessarily mean there was a building, but a crowd of people who gathered together on a regular basis for worship, for prayer and Scriptural reading.” (Professor Beverly R. Gaventa, ibid.)

Throughout her lifetime, the Holy Land was under the cruel control of the vast Roman Empire.

SHE WAS OF SWARTHY COMPLEXION

Little is known of the number of inhabitants in the village of Nazareth during Mary’s time.

Mary continued on page 5

Looking for things to do? Places to go?

Have an event you need publicized?

San Diego Zoo Jungle Bells Through January 1, 2024 Experience the magic and spirit of the holiday season at the world-famous San Diego Zoo! Join us for Jungle Bells as we light up the night until 8 p.m. (except December 24) with amazing entertainment—including the endof-the-evening spectacular, Aurora.

Bring the whole family, and enjoy all the fun and warmth of this joyous annual celebration.

Jungle Bells is included with all admission tickets and memberships. *** Parkinson’s Support Group Meeting January 2 • 10am to noon 17252 Bernardo Center Drive, Rancho Bernardo January 2nd - Parkinson’s Support Group Meeting for all North County Inland Communities. Free monthly meetings for people with Parkinson’s and their care partners are held from 10 am until Noon at San Rafael Church, 17252 Bernardo Center Drive, Rancho Bernardo, in the Parish Hall.

Our featured speaker for Tuesday, January 2nd is Kat Hill, Author of “Resilience with Parkinson’s“. Separate breakout sessions for People with Parkinson’s and care partners will follow the presentation to discuss successes and challenges.

Come learn, share, meet, and enjoy the free refreshments with other involved Parkinson’s persons. Please call (760) 749-8234 or (760) 518-1963 if you have any questions. ***

at their clubhouse, 751 No. Rose Street (corner of Mission Avenue), Escondido. During the meeting a nominating committee will be appointed for this year. The guest speakers start at 11:15am.

The speakers will be Klara Pkozdi and/ or Jose Gonzalez from the Escondido Community Child Development Center. They will bring us up to date with the activities of ECCDC, an organization that the Woman’s Club has helped over the years.

Guests are welcome and we are looking for new members who would like to join us and work on projects that the Club supports. This Club was started here in November 1910 and has been active all these years with projects to support our community.

Lunch follows the meeting; reservations are necessary by Friday, January 5th, by calling the Clubhouse at 760.743.9178 and leaving your name and phone number. Someone will return your call. Lunch is $20/person.

We hope to see you there! *** Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce Second Friday Breakfast January 12 • 7 - 9 am Westin Carlsbad 5480 Grand Pacific Dr., Carlsbad Building Your Emotional Intelligence (EQ) for a Better Business Your EQ matters more than IQ when it comes to succeeding in business and relationships.

Explore the exceptional benefits of building your Emotional Intelligence with talent development expert, Andria Taylor.

Woman’s Club of Escondido General Meeting January 8 • 10:30am 751 N. Rose, Escondido

You’ll take an assessment to identify your EQ strengths and you’ll leave with practical EQ Habits to build meaningful relationships, create partnerships, and create a better 2024!

The Woman’s Club of Escondido will start their first meeting of the New Year on Monday, January 8th, at 10:30am,

https://web.carlsbad.org/atlas/events/ first-friday-breakfast-second-fridayin-january-3478/register

HOME INSURANCE NON-RENEWED? DON’T WORRY ~ CALL R.D. HANSON INSURANCE AGENCY 760-747-8882 RICKHANSON12@GMAIL.COM

The Paper • Page 4 • December 28, 2023

Local News

Christmas Tree Recycling Guidelines Your curbside collection is a great way to help divert your Christmas tree from the landfill following the holiday festivities. Drop off locations can be found at the end of the this list.

Carlsbad The City of Carlsbad and Republic Services are offering free, curbside pickup for holiday trees December 26, 2023 to Jan. 14, 2024 • Remove all decorations, including tinsel, lights, ornaments and tree stands.

• Trees taller than 6 feet must be cut in half and placed inside of or next to your green waste cart.

• When possible, residents are asked to cut down the tree so that it fits inside the green waste cart with the lid closed for collection.

• Flocked and artificial trees cannot be recycled and must be disposed of through regular trash service.

These trees must fit into the trash cart with the lid closed for collection.

Del Mar • Remove all decorations, including tinsel, lights, ornaments and tree stands.

• Trees taller than 4 feet must be

cut in half and placed next to your green waste cart.

• When possible, residents are asked to cut down the tree so that it fits inside the green waste cart with the lid closed for collection.

• Flocked and artificial trees cannot be recycled and must be disposed of through regular trash service.

These trees must fit into the trash cart with the lid closed for collection.

Escondido • No tinsel or ornaments • No nails • No tree stands • Cut tree to fit inside green organics cart on your regular trash collection date.

• Flocked trees are not accepted Encinitas • Remove all lights, ornaments, tinsel and the tree stand • Cut tree in 4-foot lengths and trim off branches • Place trimmed tree inside your green organics cart with the lid closed • No flocked trees in green organics cart, flocked and artificial trees should go into landfill bin

the entire event went off with military precision, very little waiting, and a large staff of very talented and wise medical professionals to attend me. And, once again, they treated me like royalty.

Ptosis is an impossibly complex medical term for a simple condition where the upper eyelids cover about half of the pupil thus obscuring the vision.

Man About Town I look like a racoon!

Except racoons are cuter.

I had ptosis eye surgery last Thursday and as of this writing, early Saturday, I very much resemble a racoon. Both eyes are mildly puffy but beneath each eye is a bright purple horizontal line about 3/4 inch in width. Kinda like a racoon’s “mask.”

No pain ... but I look like hell! And there is the constant desire to rub my eyes (an absolute no-no).

I’ve written before of my extreme admiration for the VA Hospital in La Jolla. Once again they came through with flying colors!

Zero pain from beginning to end ...

The surgical procedure usually consists of removing a section of skin from the upper eyelids and adjusting the muscles, thereby causing the eye lid to be more “open.”

In my case, since I had already had two unsuccessful ptosis procedures by other doctors, the surgeon, Dr. Bobby Korn, one of the two most talented ophthalmological plastic surgeons in San Diego County, opted to tighten up the muscles in the lower lids and adjust the facial skin to accomplish the same effect and to increase my field of vision.

Dr. Jamie Shapiro, a now retired ophthalmologist in the Bay area, had been my classmate in Junior High School in Omaha, Nebraska.

He is the former ophthalmologist for the then-Oakland Raiders and the San Francisco Warriors as well as having a thriving practice of his own. We had reconnected and when he heard of my plans for ptosis surgery he did some research and sent me two names of the top ophthalmological plastic surgeons in San Diego County. One of those

Oceanside For Oceanside residents, holiday trees are collected curbside for three weeks after Christmas, until January 12 on customer’s scheduled collection day.

• All decorations should be removed, including tree stands and lights • Trees should be cut in half and placed in the green organics cart with lid closed, or can be set curbside next to the green waste cart.

• For trees placed curbside, a separate vehicle from the green waste cart collection truck will be picking up the trees on curbside services collection day.

• Artificial and flocked trees are not recyclable, and must be placed in landfill cart with lid closed or may be collected curbside next to the landfill cart. If artificial trees have lights that are not removable, they must be recycled with E-waste.

San Marcos • Remove all lights, ornaments, tinsel and the tree stand • Cut tree in 4-foot lengths and trim off branches

Letters to the Editor lyle, I enjoy the Paper every week, and I read Christopher Elliott’s ‘Travel Troubleshooter’ column regularly. I never thought I would need his help, but I ran into a situation where I did. My wife and I booked a river cruise on American Queen Voyages last year. We were supposed to depart Chattanooga, TN on October 28, 2022 for a twelve day trip. On October 24, we received notice from AQV that the water level on the Mississippi River was too low for us to reach our final port of call, so we were to be rerouted to Louisville, KY. Needless to say, we had to change our return flights to San Diego on rather short notice. We were

Local News continued on page 16

Letters continued on page 16

names was Dr. Bobby Korn - the other, it turns out, is Dr. Korn’s partner in a thriving private practice.

UCSD does not let just any med student into its top notch facility ... only the best med students are entered into the mix.

Dr. Korn volunteers one day a week at the VA Hospital in La Jolla, to serve the veterans, partially to make up for him not having served in the military. (Jamie’s current name is Dr. James Shapiro ... but, to me, he’ll always be ‘Jamie’.)

Ever loyal and faithful Friedrich Gomez picked me up at 4:45 am for a leisurely drive and check in at the VA Hospital at 6:30am. From then on it worked like clockwork. First class facility with professional, very courteous and caring medical staff . . . all of whom attended me as though I were royalty. (Which, of course, I am).

During our consult Dr. Korn told me, “while I’m working on both of your eyes I’ll get rid of those bags beneath your eyes as well. I’ll have you looking like Cary Grant.”

Before we went into surgery, during the “huddle,” I reminded Dr. Korn of this pledge and told him I was gonna hold him to it. I also told the 4 or 5 assembled resident physicians of Dr. Korn’s background and told them “this is the calibre of surgeon you are training under . . . and he’s the best!”

(The VA hospital has a marvelous working relationship with UCSD, their next door neighbor. Many residents and Fellows (graduate med students, all physicians, who have been granted a two year Fellowship to train and learn under the guidance of UCSD professors and/or senior physicians and surgeons.)

They don’t give out Fellowships to dummies. You are getting the best of the best academic crop. And

We were back home by 1pm. Not one iota of pain from beginning to end.

And, of course, Dr. Korn kept his pledge.

I now look like Cary Grant. See my photo below.

No, really ... that’s really me. I wouldn’t kid you. That’s what I look like now. Honest!

Well, that’s what I WILL look like when the swelling goes down!

The Paper • Page 5 • December 28, 2023

Mary from page 3

Like her son, Yeshua (Jesus), Mary of Nazareth is viewed through prismatic lighting.

Both her and Jesus were considered to be of swarthy complexion as opposed to the European versions often illustrated through paintings, etc. It is of general consensus among scholars, worldwide, that Mary’s appearance was of the period and time of which she occupied, i.e., she looked more Semitic, not European.

This is, virtually, an unchallenged assessment from reputable sources, “I suspect that we do think of Mary as a young Jewish girl, most likely we might think of her with darker hair and Mediterranean features.” (Dr. Christine Athans, Ph.D, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul Seminary.)

The highly regarded Christian authority, the late Reverend Billy Graham, states that Jesus was of a “swarthy complexion,” an assessment applicable to Mary, herself, a Jew of antiquity. This would suggest that they had dark features, dark hair, and dark eyes.

While it is true that today’s Jewish people may cover the gamut of blue eyes and alabaster white skin, this was not the case, realistically speaking, in what is now

known as the Middle East, over 2,000 years ago.

Nazareth is a different reality to different people/cultures.

There may be a contradistinction of good looks and lack thereof, between Mary and her celebrated son, Jesus. In regards to Jesus, if one is to embrace the Christian faith, then we would accept what is found in the Olde Testament Bible (also known as the Jewish Torah).

Even the virgin birth is widely shrouded in mystery. All reputable Christian scholars acknowledge that no precise day, such as 25 December, can be exacted as the so-called divine birth date of their so-called Messiah, Jesus. Speculations predicated on fall festivals, or shepherds staying in the fields (Luke 2:1-3), or the weather pattern, or even the period of the Roman census, all have serious flaws and are not given sober consideration from the world’s foremost Christian cognoscenti nor from their secular counterparts.

In Isaiah 53:2, it plainly states: “He hath no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.” According to this Scriptural source, Jesus was neither attractive (or handsome). In regards to Mary’s appearance, there is nothing recorded in the New Testament.

However, if one were to read first-century manuscripts, Mary of Nazareth was believed to have been exceptionally beautiful.

However, these testaments to Mary’s beauty are only found in ancient manuscripts that are excluded from the Christian Bible.

As such, they remain unproven to mainstream Christology.

Nonetheless, due to independent sources of the time it seems more likely true that – unlike the historical Jesus—Mary she was, by consensus, of conspicuous beauty.

THE VIRGIN BIRTH. Mary of

The most reputable scholars (both secular and religious) remain steadfast that no one knows the date of Mary’s birth to Jesus.

However, what piques scholarly interests are the possible hidden motives behind the early church father’s selection of 25 December as the date of Mary’s (alleged) divine birth to Jesus.

Was it merely an innocent, arbitrary decision for the early church fathers to acquiesce to the 25th of December? Or did ancient secrets parlay into the decision?

And why are such details of any importance? It is of importance, primarily because accurate historical data is vital in the overall understanding of any culture, be it religious or otherwise.

And secondly, it is highly democratic to give the people what they wish to know. There is a powerful worldwide interest from inquisitive human minds -- human minds which no longer wish to be shackled from truth wherever such shackles or impediments may be found.

PAGAN WORSHIP DAYS MAY HAVE MADE CHRISTIANS SELECT 25 DECEMBER AS MARY’S DEVINE BIRTH. It appears that early Christian zealots in their eagerness to erase popular pagan celebration days, found their efforts far more difficult than anticipated. 25 December was already a popular pagan festival day celebrating the birth of the Sun God of Righteousness.

That Christmas was selected specifically on that day may be more than coincidence. The theory that early Church fathers may have thought it more efficacious to supplant pagan worship days by ‘wallpapering’ over them with a Christian day of worship, may hold some elements of credence, as opposed to a random coincidence of both sharing the same 25 December day.

According to New Testament accounts, the birth of Mary’s firstborn child occurred in the small

Mary continued on page 12

A Christmas Story The brand new pastor and his wife, newly assigned to their first ministry, to reopen a church in urban Brooklyn, arrived in early October excited about their opportunities.

When they saw their church, it was very run down and needed much work. They set a goal to have everything done in time to have their first service on Christmas Eve.

business was having a flea market type sale for charity so he stopped in. One of the items was a beautiful, handmade, ivory colored, crocheted table cloth with exquisite work, fine colors and a cross embroidered right in the center. It was just the right size to cover up the hole in the front wall. He bought it and headed back to the church.

They worked hard, repairing pews, plastering walls, painting, etc.and on Dec. 18 were ahead of schedule and just about finished. On Dec 19 a terrible tempest - a driving rainstorm hit the area and lasted for two days. On the 21st, the pastor went over to the church. His heart sunk when he saw that the roof had leaked, causing a large area of plaster about 6 feet by 8 feet to fall off the front wall of the sanctuary just behind the pulpit, beginning about head high.

By this time it had started to snow.

An older woman running from the opposite direction was trying to catch the bus. She missed it.

The pastor invited her to wait in the warm church for the next bus 45 minutes later. She sat in a pew and paid no attention to the pastor while he got a ladder, hangers, etc., to put up the tablecloth as a wall tapestry. The pastor could hardly believe how beautiful it looked and it covered up the entire problem area. Then he noticed the woman walking down the center aisle. Her face was like a sheet. “Pastor,” she asked, “where did you get that tablecloth?” The pastor explained.

The woman asked him to check the lower right corner to see if the

The pastor cleaned up the mess on the floor, and not knowing what else to do but postpone the Christmas Eve service, headed home.

On the way he noticed that a local

initials, EBG were crocheted into it there. They were. These were the initials of the woman, and she had made this tablecloth 35 years before, in Austria. The woman could hardly believe it as the pastor told how he had just gotten the tablecloth. The woman explained that before the war she and her husband were well-to-do people in Austria.

When the Nazis came, she was forced to leave. Her husband was going to follow her the next week.

She was captured, sent to prison and never saw her husband or her home again.

The pastor wanted to give her the tablecloth; but she made the pastor keep it for the church. The pastor insisted on driving her home, that was the least he could do. She lived on the other side of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn for the day for a housecleaning job.

What a wonderful service they had on Christmas Eve. The church was almost full. The music and the spirit were great. At the end of the service,the pastor and his wife greeted everyone at the door and

many said that they would return.

One older man, whom the pastor recognized from the neighborhood, continued to sit in one of the pews and stare, and the pastor wondered why he wasn’t leaving.

The man asked him where he got the tablecloth on the front wall because it was identical to one that his wife had made years ago when they lived in Austria before the war and how could there be two tablecloths so much alike? He told the pastor how the Nazis came, how he forced his wife to free for her safety, and he was supposed to follow her, but he was arrested and put in a concentration camp.

He never saw his wife or his home again or all the 35 years in between. The pastor asked him if he would allow him to take him for a little ride. They drove to Staten Island and to the same house where the pastor had taken the woman three days earlier. He helped the man climb the three flights of stairs to the woman’s apartment, knocked on the door and he saw the greatest Christmas reunion he could ever imagine.

The Paper • Page 6 • December 28, 2023

5th District Supervisor

Jim Desmond

New Laws for 2024 Bills passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor usually go into effect January 1st of the following year. Here are just a few: Business-Related Laws • California’s hourly minimum wage will increase to $16 for most workers on January 1st and to $20 for fast food workers in April. Wages for healthcare workers will increase gradually to $25 by 2033 • Employers will be prohibited from asking about an employee’s prior or current off-site cannabis use • Employees will now be entitled to a minimum of five paid sick days each year • Retailers will be required to have a gender-neutral toy section • Manufacturers will be required to provide consumers and repair shops with parts or instructions to repair devices valued over $50 • Hidden fees will have to be disclosed, including for hotels, short-term rentals and food delivery services.

Firearms-Related Laws • New restrictions will be placed on concealed carry permit holders, despite the recent Supreme Court ruling • An 11% tax will be placed on firearms and ammunition Criminal Penalties • Child sex trafficking will now be

defined as a serious felony, allowing life sentences for repeat offenders • Prison sentences for those trafficking over a kilo of fentanyl will be enhanced • The statute of limitations to receive damages for victims of childhood sexual assault will be eliminated • Penalties for those using swastikas or other hate symbols at schools, religious institutions, cemeteries and other locations will increase Others • Local jurisdictions will no longer be able to ban cruising • Landlords will only be allowed to charge one month’s rent as a security deposit • Counties will have more leeway to put those suffering from severe mental illness into treatment or temporary psychiatric holds For better or worse, these are just a few new laws for 2024. The Legislature returns to Sacramento January 3rd -- many more are on the way.

Assemblymember Marie Waldron, R- Valley Center, represents the 75th Assembly District in the California Legislature, which includes the cities of Poway, Santee, portions of the City of San Diego, and most of rural eastern and northern San Diego County.

A Word from San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones San Marcos Creek project update work was completed, the crews began fixing the traffic signals on Via Vera Cruz to switch them to normal operation.

As the year comes to a close, I am happy to share the Via Vera Cruz bridge has been completed. This is a huge milestone for the San Marcos Creek project and the city. Earlier this month, construction crews worked diligently on paving and striping the roadway to prepare for vehicular traffic. After roadway

I want to share my appreciation to the San Marcos community members and businesses, for their patience and understanding throughout construction. Though the project hit a few bumps in the road this year, the city is now able to celebrate the benefits of the Via Vera Cruz bridge. In the new year, the project team will continue work on the Paseo de Arroyo park and Creek habitat so the community can enjoy a variety of project benefits. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to sign up for project updates at www.san-marcos. net/creek.

Checking Your Home While You’re Away With many people out of town during the holidays (although how could you leave San Diego) it’s important to make sure your home is secure. While we’ve increased the budget for the County’s Sheriff’s Department, including adding more deputies out on patrol, the threat of criminal activity is still possible.

As your County Supervisor, I support initiatives that promote the public safety for residents in North County. The County Sheriff’s Department offers free home vacation checks yearround. If you let the Sheriff’s Department know when you are leaving, they’ll send a Sheriff’s Department Senior Volunteer Patrol to keep an eye on your home while you are away. I encourage you to take advantage of this program.

The Sheriff’s Department Senior

Volunteer Patrol will check your home for broken windows, open doors, garages, or other suspicious activity. They will hide newspapers and packages away from public view and they will call for a deputy’s assistance if there is a problem.

When you return, you will receive a letter listing the dates your home was checked and any observations made during their visits.

Find more information at https:// www.sdsheriff.gov/community/ home-vacation-check or call your local Sheriff’s Station. As always, if we can be of assistance or answer any questions, my team and I can be reached at (619) 531-5555 or via email at Jim.Desmond@sdcounty.ca.gov.

San Diego County District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond, 1600 Pacific Highway, #335, San Diego, CA 92101, United States http:// www.supervisorjimdesmond.com/

Problem Solved

by Christopher Elliott

Amazon charged me again after I returned my surge protector to Whole Foods After Andrew Bottorff returns his surge protector to Amazon through a Whole Foods store, Amazon tries to charge him again. How can he get his money back?

Q: I bought an Eaton surge protector on Amazon recently. It was not suitable for my use, so I returned it to Amazon via the Amazon return counter at Whole Foods two days after receiving it.

They scanned my return barcode at the counter. But the return center does not provide printed receipts.

An email receipt usually shows shortly after your return, but by the next morning, it had not arrived.

So I returned to the counter the next day. The attendant remembered me and said the Amazon system “sometimes shuts down in the middle of the transaction” and that is what happened to my return.

The representative wrote an email and gave us a copy, and sent another notification to Amazon with an updated label.

Amazon refunded my money as a gift card, not to my credit card, as I requested. A few weeks later I got an email telling me Amazon would

charge my card if I didn’t send the item back. Then Amazon charged my card.

Can you help me get my money back? ~ Andrew Bottorff, Lake Dallas, Texas A: Amazon shouldn’t have charged you for the surge protector again.

Instead, it should have worked with you and Whole Foods to figure out how your return got lost.

That said, there are a few things that don’t make sense about your case. Why would Amazon give you a gift card if it didn’t have your return? And why would it then try to charge your card again?

It looks as if the answer is in a glitch with Amazon’s return system. If you don’t get some kind of return receipt -- or some evidence that you gave Amazon your package -- that should be a red flag. If an employee tells you the system sometimes shuts down, that’s another red flag. Maybe you should Problem Solved continued on page 14

The Paper • Page 7 • December 28, 2023

Historically Speaking

The Massive Business World Of Henry J. Kaiser tion was established between Kaiser and automotive executive Jospeh W. Frazer. By the end of 1946, more than 11,000 “Kaiser” and the more luxurious edition “Frazer” cars went out to dealers and distributors. By the summer of 1948, some 300,000 Kaiser and Frazer cars had come off the production line.

automotive producer, builder of planned communities, government buildings, and a health care advocate.

By Tom Morrow One of America’s and the world’s most prolific builders and entrepreneurs was Henry John Kaiser. Born May 9, 1882, Kaiser was an American industrialist who, before World War II, owned and operated a large construction company.

In 1914, Kaiser founded a paving company, one of the first to use heavy construction equipment. His firm expanded significantly in 1927, when it received an $18-million contract to build roads in Cuba. In 1931 his firm was one of the prime contractors in building the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, and later the Bonneville and Grand Coulee Dams on the Columbia River.

During World War II he became known as the father of modern American shipbuilding. After the War, he wore many hats – that of an aluminum and steel manufacturer,

While building massive river dams would have been enough to put him in the history books, during the War the industrialist established the Kaiser Shipyards, which built cargo and troop ships. After the War, he formed Kaiser Aluminum and Kaiser Steel, built planned communities on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. He organized Kaiser Permanente health care system for his thousands of employees and their families.

During World War II, Kaiser adopted revolutionary mass-production shipbuilding techniques such as welding instead of rivets. He is most famous for: the Kaiser Shipyard in Richmond, California. During World War II his ships became known as “Liberty Ships” and were later supplemented in the mid-war period by improved, larger and faster “Victory Ships.”

He became world-renowned when his construction teams built a Liberty Ship in just four days. The keel for the 10,500-ton SS Robert E. Peary was laid on Sunday, Nov. 8, 1942, and the completed ship was launched in Richmond on Thursday, Nov. 12, four days and 15½ hours later. The previous record had been

Henry John Kaiser 10 days for the Kaiser-built SS Joseph M. Teal.

Kaiser-built hulls were converted into the U.S. Navy’s small escort aircraft vessels known as “Jeep Carriers.” More than 100 of the carriers were deployed in both the Pacific and the Atlantic Theaters. Many of the ship-building concepts were developed by Kaiser for the mass production of commercial and U.S. Naval ships still in use today.

After the War, Kaiser built cars that led the automotive industry with safety designs and economy unheard of at the time. In August 1945, the month Germany surrendered, the Kaiser-Frazer Corpora-

In 1950, Kaiser-Frazer began production of a new compact car, the “Henry J,” while ending production of the higher-priced “Frazer.” In 1952 and 1953, Kaiser-Frazer provided Sears & Roebuck with “Allstate” branded automobiles. Sears sold the cars through selected Sears Auto Centers.

The company’s financial and production problems started as early as 1948. Frazer had warned Kaiser not to tool up for a projected 200,000 cars for the 1949 model year. Unfortunately, Kaiser did not heed the warning, saying “The Kaisers never retrench.” Only 58,000 cars were sold that year. The more expensive “Frazer” marque was discontinued after the 1951 models. Joseph Frazer remained as vice-chairman of the Kaiser-Frazer board until 1953.

The Kaiser Manufacturing division Historically Speaking continued on page 14

Travel Troubleshooter

by Christopher Elliott

This Booking.com reservation is a fake! Can you make it pay?

When Dale Cerney checks into his resort in Kauai, it doesn’t have a reservation for him. Will Booking. com pay for the mistake?

Q: I recently booked a room at a resort in Kauai through Booking. com. The online agency worked with a third party that handled the reservation, and it did not come through. As a result, I didn’t have a place to stay.

A person at the resort said the organization had done the same thing to another family just days before.

I’ve sent multiple messages to Booking.com but it hasn’t responded. I tried to resolve this by filing a credit card dispute and my bank has refunded me temporarily.

But I ended up incurring an additional $1,955 in hotel expenses. I would like help holding Booking. com accountable. ~ Dale Cerney, Seattle A: I’m sorry your Booking.com

reservation was a dud. I know what it’s like to show up at a hotel without a reservation, and it’s one of the worst feelings. You start to imagine yourself sleeping on a park bench. I’m glad you found a place to stay.

Booking.com says the property, the Hanalei Bay Resort, was “unable to honor your reservation” but doesn’t say why.

It looks like you did everything you could to make sure you had a legitimate reservation.

You used a reputable online agent, Booking.com. You even contacted your online agency before your arrival to verify the reservation, and it was confirmed. Bottom line: This shouldn’t have happened.

Booking.com did not initially respond to your request for help, according to the correspondence you sent me. When it finally did, it claimed this was the first time it had heard from you.

“We hope you’ve found an alternative accommodation without too much trouble,” a representative told you in an email. “We have been in touch with your original accommodation and, if you’ve had any extra costs, please send us the invoice of your new accommodation after your stay and we’ll do our best to assist you.”

You should get a full refund for the first hotel once your credit card dispute finalizes. But when you presented Booking.com with a bill for the price differential between the original reservation and the new one, it did not immediately respond.

And that’s when you asked me to help you get the $1,955 back.

You might have avoided a problem like this by booking directly with a resort. Although direct reservations can get lost, too, it’s far less likely to happen than when you book through a third party agency.

Beyond that, you can call to confirm your reservation directly with

the hotel before you arrive. Unfortunately, everything seemed fine until you arrived, which is highly unusual. I publish a few helpful strategies for resolving your consumer dispute on my advocacy website, Elliott.org. You could have also appealed your case to one of the Booking.com managers. I list their names, numbers and email addresses on my consumer advocacy site.

You reached out to me for help, and I contacted Booking.com on your behalf. The company reviewed your case. “Booking.com customer service has been in touch with Dale, who will be receiving a refund for the extra costs incurred,” a representative told me.

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him on his site. © 2023 Christopher Elliott.

The Paper • Page 8 • December 28, 2023

Want to stop an airline merger? Here’s how to do it only fly occasionally, your voice is still important. You can send your comments to Jonathan Kanter at the Department of Justice Antitrust Division. I’ve heard from multiple sources that the government is interested in hearing from consumers on this issue.

If the latest wave of proposed airline mergers have left you a little worried, then you have a good memory.

Historically, airline mergers are terrible for passengers. And the latest two -- the proposed combination of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, and of JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines -- are no exception.

“Passengers should be very skeptical of airline mergers,” says Tolga Turgut, an associate professor at Florida Institute of Technology’s College of Aeronautics. “They usually lead to bigger companies trying to monopolize certain routes and regions. Monopolies or duopolies in turn usually lead to market abuse, price gouging, and deteriorating quality of services.”

Illustration by Dustin Elliott

Passengers Feel Uncertain And Powerless

for aviation at the American Economic Liberties Project.

The question is, are these pairings inevitable? Or is there something air travelers can do right now to stop these companies from merging?

These too-big-to-fail airlines deliver astonishing returns to their shareholders, but it comes at a high price.

Passengers end up paying more and getting less because competition is all but eliminated. Research suggests that fares rise between 5 and 6 percent on overlapping or potentially overlapping routes, although the price increase has reportedly been higher after some of the latest mergers.

Air travelers like Eloisa Hife want to know. She’s a frequent traveler on Alaska Airlines, and she was troubled when she heard the airline was going to buy Hawaiian Airlines.

“It left me feeling a mix of apprehension and uncertainty,” she says.

Why? Hife recalls the mergers that came before that, including American Airlines and US Airways, Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines, and United Airlines and Continental Airlines. All of them promised lower fares and better service. But she says they actually delivered the opposite.

“These promises rarely translate into any tangible benefits for frequent fliers like me,” says Hife, the chief technology officer for a pet products website in Austin, Texas.

She’s right.

Are airline mergers good for passengers?

Airline mergers have harmed American air travelers on a breathtaking scale. A series of airline consolidations in the last two decades have left them with just four dominant carriers, which have raised prices and, with one notable exception, offered shamefully bad customer service.

“We haven’t had such a concentrated aviation industry in the United States in over 100 years,” says Bill McGee, a senior fellow

McGee says we’re caught in a “me-too” wave of smaller consolidations as airlines try to reach a critical mass to stay competitive.

But that doesn’t make these corporate marriages any different from past ones.

The net effect will be the same: fewer choices, higher fares.

And customers are right to want to stop them. But how?

Want to stop airline mergers?

The Government Is On Your Side Fortunately, air travelers have a powerful ally. The U.S. Departments of Justice and Transportation have finally drawn a line in the sand and sued to block the proposed JetBlue-Spirit merger. The trial ended this month, and observers expect a ruling early next year.

In the past, the government stepped in to mitigate some of the worst effects of airline consolidation. For example, in order to approve the merger between American Airlines and US Airways, it mandated that the airlines divest themselves of some landing slots. But it wasn’t enough to overcome the huge problems created by the merger, like the loss of competition and, inevitably, higher fares.

Consumer groups are lining up

against both mergers, too. Just this week, a coalition of seven organizations, including the American Economic Liberties Project, National Consumers League and Open Markets Institute, jointly sent a strongly worded letter to government regulators urging it to block the planned merger of Alaska and Hawaiian.

“Neither the airline industry nor American consumers can afford the further loss of airline competition that Alaska’s purchase of Hawaiian Airlines represents,” the consumer groups noted.

Ways To Fight The Airline Mergers You’ve probably heard a lot of socalled experts talking about the benefits of the latest mergers. The first step to fighting these mergers is to understand that the experts are not telling the truth. They’ll say whatever the airlines want them to, and they’ve never seen a merger they didn’t like.

To be clear, if any of the mergers on the table go through, your ticket prices will rise and service will go into freefall. So what can you do about it?

If you’re a shareholder. If you hold shares in any of the airlines considering a merger, let the company know your misgivings. This may be difficult for you, since the value of your stock will be affected by the approval of the deal. But what’s good for shareholders isn’t always what’s good for passengers.

As a voter. In an election year, your elected representative might actually listen to you, as opposed to the donors who are pushing for these mergers. Bonus points if your representative sits on one of the subcommittees with oversight of the airline industry.

If you’re just watching. Even if you

“Consumers have a voice when it comes to airline mergers,” says Anthony Radchenko, CEO of AirAdvisor, a company that advocates for air travelers. “It’s incumbent on passengers, workers, and others worried about the Alaska-Hawaiian merger to send your concerns to Jonathan Kanter at the DOJ’s Antitrust Division so that the Department of Justice can rely on real-world complaints to fight this latest battle in the war on competition.”

And what if the latest mergers somehow get approved? Well, there’s one last option available to you as a U.S. citizen. You can vote for candidates who promise to stop rubber-stamping mergers and to protect competition -- and American consumers. You’ll have an opportunity to do that in November.

Elliott’s Tips On Fighting Airline Mergers Passengers don’t have to accept the latest mergers as inevitable. Here are a few ways you can influence the outcome: Speak your mind. Write to your representative and contact the government regulators now. Let them know how previous airline mergers have affected you and tell them how you feel about the latest combination. The government is listening.

Avoid monopolistic airlines. Don’t reward the monopolistic airlines with your business or your loyalty. Instead, go out of your way to fly one of the smaller carriers that retain their independent spirit -startups like Avelo or Breeze.

Leverage your loyalty. If you’re a frequent flier on Alaska or Hawaiian, now is the time to say something. If your loyalty program card is gold, silver or platinum, you should let your airline know what you think of its proposed merger.

As an elite-level frequent traveler, you have the ear of your airline.

Christopher Elliott is an author, consumer advocate, and journalist. He founded Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer problems. He publishes Elliott Confidential, a travel newsletter, and the Elliott Report, a news site about customer service.

If you need help with a consumer problem, you can reach him here or email him at chris@elliott.org.

The Paper • Page 9 • December 28, 2023

A Time To Reflect Christmas was on Monday, December 25th this year. I sent out my Christmas cards earlier this month.

I’m starting to receive Christmas cards from my many clients, now friends. And each time I open one, I remember the circumstances that lead to us meeting one another. Then I remember the ways the reverse mortgage came into play in each one of these people’s lives.

Sometimes, I receive word that a spouse passed away. Other times, I get a returned envelope and sadly realize that we’re all here for a certain amount of time. Still other times, I’m joyfully updated on their lives, additional grandchildren or trips they’ve taken.

This year is coming to a close as well. You may be thinking about how difficult and expensive just existing has become. The new year will bring new opportunities and adventures for each of us. If you own a home here in San Diego county, remember that it’s the number one most expensive place to live in the country. The upside for homeowners with equity is that you can use that to your advantage. The reverse mortgage locks in your equity when your loan is funded. It’s not like a home equity line of credit (HELOC) from the bank. The bank can freeze those loans if the market changes.

If, for instance, your home value drops, the bank can freeze that line of credit. You have no access to that equity. With the reverse mortgage, your loan is locked in and the line of credit cannot be frozen. Once you establish a line of credit using the reverse mortgage, it stays in place.

You have the ability to access that money whenever you like.

At this time of year, it’s always nice to reflect on the past year. The good, the bad and the uncomfortable. This past year I was able to help several homeowners achieve their financial goals. Along the way, I made some new friends. I’ve helped a widow purchase a new home close to her I hope you enjoy each and every son and grandchildren. I’ve assisted moment of this Christmas with your Laura Strickler in getting a homeowner who wanted loved ones! These moments are to cut back on his work schedule what fills our lives and our hearts. I achieve that goal. A few clients were able to pay off mortgages and hope to see you in the New Year! Until next time, not have to deal with the stress of making a mortgage payment each month. Another couple was able to create the line of credit, allowing them the freedom to enjoy their retirement and take little jaunts around Laura Strickler the southwest. I’m also reminded of clients who had large medical/ 760-518-9839 • NMLS #315848 dental procedures and they utilized the reverse mortgage to pay for Reverse Mortgage Advisor those necessary procedures.

Laurastrickler1@gmail.com • www.laurastrickler.com

The Paper • Page 10 • December 28, 2023

The Pastor Says . . .

Celebrating Christmas “There won’t be much Christmas for us this year.” I have heard that expression many times from people who have lost their jobs, have had a tragedy in their family, are separated from their family due to military duty, or are experiencing homelessness. It doesn’t take much to break the chain of happiness or the spirit of celebration. For me, it will be difficult without my wife, Marcia. The fire destroyed all of the decorations and a home that, for years, had a tree gracing our living room. Can I celebrate with so much loss? I need to face this in a way I have not experienced before. And yet, the event of Christmas has stayed the same. The biblical account is the same.

Jesus is born, laid in a major, has a mother, pondering the events surrounding his birth, shepherds come out of curiosity to see this thing the angels have sung about, and there is a celebration. Change has come in my life and those close to me, yet the story of Christmas hasn’t changed.

San Diego Humane Society is supporting families and their pets who need a little extra help.

Through the Community Pet Pantry, anyone can visit our campuses to pick up a bag of dog or cat food, and other supplies, as available.

Pastor Huls

How can I celebrate? My witness is a focus. This would be true of anyone having a difficult time this season; we are expected to be happy and joyful and genuinely feel this way. There is a little satisfaction in well-meaning statements which say the most important event is the birth of Christ. While this is true, there is also the human element of loss, sadness, and need.

No appointment is needed for this service. Hours are Tuesday-Sunday from 10am to 6pm.

Historically, I’m sure there have been thousands of subscribers to the biblical account of the birth of Jesus who have suffered loss and been affected by the tragedies of life.

El Cajon 373 N. Marshall Ave.

What I have found to be true is the story of the birth of Jesus and what it means to me personally and all humanity. Without that meaning of God’s love and care, of a new beginning, and a world that now has God himself among us, bring his kingdom to us with the promise of victory and hope we have a holiday.

This doesn’t mean that there isn’t pain and loss. Despite that, we can lift and encourage ourselves so that we don’t walk this road alone. Does this fill the void? Only sometimes. But I do hear Jesus, The Babe of Christmas, saying, “Pray always, and don’t get discouraged, and I am with you, even to the end of the age.”

Escondido 3500 Burnet Drive Oceanside 572 Airport Road

Celebrating may be difficult sometimes, but the promise of a caring, loving Christ in spirit is a comfort.

That, we can enjoy.

Pastor Huls

San Diego 5480 Gaines Street

Pet Parade

Pet of the Week

Blue

Sunny

Blue is pet of the week at your Rancho Coastal Humane Society. She’s an almost-3-year-old, 63pound, female, Hound mix.

Blue was transferred to Rancho Coastal Humane Society from a rescue partner through Friends of County Animal Shelters (FOCAS). She was adopted, then returned when her family decided they weren’t ready for such an active dog.

The $145 adoption fee for Blue includes medical exam, spay, up to date vaccinations, registered microchip, and a one-year license if her new home is in the jurisdiction of San Diego Humane Society. For information about adoption or the foster-toadopt program visit Rancho Coastal Humane Society in Encinitas, call 760-753-6413, or log on to www.SDpets.org.

Meet Sunny! This sweet boy is guaranteed to brighten all your days.

He is quite the ball of energy and would be more than happy to play the day away with you. Sometimes he needs help building his confidence, but with extra TLC, he has shown us that he is the bravest boy ever! Sunny is not a fan of other dogs, so he would be his best self if he’s the only dog in his new home. Sunny (876402) is available for adoption at San Diego Humane Society’s Escondido Campus at 3500 Burnet Dr. If you have questions about the adoption process, you can visit sdhumane.org/adopt or call 619-299-7012.

Online profile: https://www.sdhumane.org/adopt/available-pets/animal-single.html?petId=876402 Hope you have a happy holidays!

The Paper • Page 11 • December 28, 2023

Are we part of the most transformative period in human history?

Part 1 views held in our “identity group” with suspicion. For the most part, we don’t make negative judgments regarding others, but when conflicting interests arise, our judgments will be heavily influenced by biases associated with our identity groups. Support for a favorite football team, political party or home town, and enmity toward their rivals are common examples.

The Computer Factory 845 W. San Marcos Blvd.

760-744-4315 thecomputerfactory.net

The term identity group defines a group of people that share a common interest. They are united by a positive or negative intellectual/ emotional attachment to something. It can be a person, place object or idea. Being part of an identity group means sharing beliefs and biases in common with like-minded folks. Being part of a group tends to vindicate our judgments and make us feel safe. Early identity groups centered on tribal or extended family groups and served as defense mechanism to protect individuals from unfamiliar outside influences.

Even today we tell our children “don’t talk to strangers” and adults to “stay in your lane”.

These days each of us is unconsciously associated with a large number of identity groups. Some are small like family and school; others are huge like gender and nationality. It’s human nature to view any information that conflicts with

In the past two decades, identity group biases have found reinforcement in the explosion of information available on the Smart Web The concept of “confirmation bias” as defined by English psychologist Peter Wason (1960) describes the tendency of people to “cherry pick” information that confirms or strengthens their biases and ignore or dispute data that does not.

fluencers were teachers, parents, peers and direct observation. Confirmation bias came mainly from those same sources.

Two new factors dominate the early 21st century and seem to be major factors in shaping the world-views and biases among younger Americans.

The first factor is a major leftward lurch in the education industry that is not reflected in political attitudes of the general population. The percentage of educators who self-identify as far left or liberal increased from 45% in 1996 to over 60% by 2011. In the same time period, educators selfidentifying as conservatives dropped from 22% to 12%. A second factor

is the number of Americans with access to high speed, broad-band Internet. Access availability for Americans rose from near zero in 2000 to over 90% in 2011.

Today the average Internet user between 10 and 24 years old spends seven hours on the Internet each day.

The changes wrought by the increasingly left leaning education industry combined with young generation’s reliance on the Internet for confirmation bias is only beginning to be recognized as a transformative sociological event Where will it take us and how will it change us? Part II next week.

“As the twig is bent, so grows the tree” paraphrases a 16 th century observation by poet Alexander Pope positing that early influences may have a permanent effect The generation coming of age at present has enjoyed Smart Web access throughout their lives. Their world-view and biases have largely been shaped through contact with educators whose world-views overwhelmingly reflect “liberal” values. Once established those assimilated world-views and biases are continuously reinforced on the smart web through the practice of confirmation bias.

Americans who came of age in the 20th century were schooled by educators whose political balance generally reflected that of the general population. Identity group affiliation and bias formation in-

John Van Zante’s Critter Corner

Get 2024 Started on the Right Paw

The week between Christmas and New Year’s Day can be crazy. People have free time, but don’t know what to do with themselves.

If you got a new pet for Christmas, this is the perfect time to establish your new routine, together. It’s a lot easier to teach a routine and stick to it than it is to un-teach bad habits that become part of your pet’s life.

them safe. Keep them inside.

Step one is to set the rules and stick to them. If you want your pet to have consistent behavior, be an example. Everyone in the home needs to follow the same rules. If one family member says, “No feeding from the table” and another says, “Just a little bite won’t hurt,” you’ve already failed your pet. Setting and following the rules can be hard.

Don’t make it harder.

Families getting puppies or kittens for Christmas should get them into a routine. Holiday activities can jeopardize the training. Your guests will be there for a few hours, but your kitten or puppy will be with you for many years. Ignoring your pet’s routine or allowing guests to teach it bad habits can change the rest of its (and your) life.

A few more tips:

Holiday gatherings make it easy for pets to run away. New Year’s Eve, especially. It’s noisy. Guests come and go and there are plenty of opportunities to door dash. A frightened pet can easily slip out and run down the street. Outside the house or yard is unfamiliar territory, so pets either hide or they run until they’re lost. Keep

Make sure your pet has a safe, quiet place, away from the festivities.

Don’t forget that your pet still needs food and water.

Even during the party, dogs need potty breaks.

Remind your guests NOT to feed your pets. (Really. I mean it.)

NO ALCOHOL! (I REALLY mean this!)

Make sure your pet is microchipped and the registration is up to date.

Ask before taking your pet along to someone else’s house.

From the Van Zante family to you, best wishes for 2024.

The Paper • Page 12 • December 28, 2023

Mary from page 5 village of Bethlehem. Adding to the mystery is the historical fact there was more than one Bethlehem during ancient times.

One was situated in Galilee (in the region of Zebulon) bordering the valley of Jiphthah-el in the north, near Nazareth (Joshua 19:15-16). The other Bethlehem (of Jesus’ reputed birth), is in the hilly region to the south of Jerusalem, in the vicinity of Judah.

In the Jewish Torah (Christian Olde Testament), it is first spoken of in Genesis 35:19. It is this Bethlehem, in Judaea (Judah), where religious scholars believe to be the birth place of Mary’s son, Jesus.

While both Muslims and Christians adhere to the virgin birth of Jesus, Muslims believe Jesus to be a prophet but not the Son of God, nor do they subscribe to a triune God, among other things.

HOW OLDE WAS MARY WHEN BETROTHED? Scholars believe Mary of Nazareth was a young girl in her teenage years when betrothed to Joseph, but nowhere is a precise age given by a reputable source.

During Mary’s life, young women in their teen years was the norm in ancient times and was considered proper according to Jewish custom.

One must keep in mind that two thousand years ago, the average life expectancy was about 40 years of age. This certainly is not to say that some people did not live a lot longer. Some did.

However, during the first century, the (average) person did not live beyond the age of 50, due to harsh living conditions, prevalent diseases, accidents, and warfare.

Jesus was said to be about 30 years of age when he began his earthly ministries according to the Christian faith (Luke 3:1).

MARY’S NAMING OF HER SON. Mary’s first-born son was never named Jesus, and he was never called that during his lifetime. At birth, he was named Yeshua, a shortened form of Yahoshua or Yahshua. We sometimes forget that Mary, and her son, Jesus (Yeshua) were Jews of antiquity.

In the Hebrew language, there does not exist a letter with an equivalency to our Anglo-American ‘J.’ The letter ‘J’ (sound) may have existed long ago, but not in the ancient Hebrew language.

The English name “Jesus” is the outcome of the Greek word

“Iesous” and the Latin version “Iesus.” This Greek and Latin spelling of Jesus – along with the Hebrew spelling – was placed (according to Christian Scripture) on the head of Jesus’ cross, by order of Pontius Pilate, along with the inscription, “This is the King of the Jews.” (Luke 23:38-39, KVJ).

This one message “This is the King of the Jews” was placed in three different languages of the day (Greek, Latin, and Hebrew) and each spelled, respectively, without the letter ‘J.’ To this very day, many crucifixes (most notably, Roman Catholic) still retain the original Latin versions of Jesus’ name, along with the original inscription, all without the letter “J” – such as, “Iesus Nazarenus, Rex, Iudaeorum.”

(Trans. “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.”) This is also revealed in just the initials, which are often inscribed on crucifixes: INRI. To reiterate, the letter ‘J’ did not exist during the time of Mary and Jesus. Historical records reveal that there was no such letter ‘J’ in the English alphabet until it was first introduced by medieval scribes, centuries later. Even after the introduction of the letter “J” (the last letter to be added to our 26-letter alphabet), it still did not become widely popular until the 17th-century (1600s), centuries after its inception.

WAS MARY’S SELECTION OF THE NAME “JESUS” A POPULAR NAME BACK THEN? Yes, very much so. Mary of Nazareth’s selection of the name Yeshua (Jesus’ actual birth name, which means “The Lord is salvation,” or “The Lord will/has saved”) was a popular name during her time. In fact, archeologists have unearthed the tombs of 71 Yeshuas from the period of Jesus’ death.

For matters of linguistic convenience, this article will refer to Mary’s son, Yeshua, as “Jesus,” since this application is most commonly accepted today in our Modern English.

All Christian scholars of recognised credentials are fully aware of Jesus’ actual birth name, “Yeshua.”

The fact that Mary selected “Jesus” as her newborn child’s name is common knowledge. The fact that the name “Jesus” (Yeshua) was a common, even popular, name during Mary’s time, is more surprising.

So common was his name that it may come as a startling revelation that the notorious Barabbas, who was released by Pontius Pilate in place of the religious Jesus, was named “Jesus Barabbas” (var. Bar-

Abbas).

The infamous criminal Jesus Barabbas, is named in his entirety in some of the early Christian manuscripts, but interestingly, his first name was deleted by various Christian scribes, to the extent that his full name remains relatively scarce amongst today’s various Christian Bibles.

However, “Jesus Barabbas” still appears in the Armenian and Syrian versions of Matthew 27:16-17.

Also, in other works such as The Harper Collins Study Bible, New Revised Standard Version, 1989.

(Matt., ibid.)

The deletion of “Jesus” as Barabbas’ first name is viewed as no accident in transcription but, rather, is seen as a deliberate act of omission.

Modern bible scholars such as William Barclay, D. A. Carson, Robert Gundry, and Klaas Schilder believe – as do many others – that Barabbas’ first name (Jesus) was expunged because it was offensive and irreverent to associate him with Jesus who is called the Christ.

If any hidden reason is to be found, perhaps this one has credence.

If Barabbas’ first name was, indeed, erased by early Christian scribes by design, and such omission remains prevalent today, it attests to the prevailing power of influence which Christian sources continue to wield. Devout Christian followers are (understandably) quick to defend and keep Holy his name. However, deletion of fact, nonetheless, is a touchy matter, in spite of any worthy or noble motive, no matter how well intended.

That “Barabbas” translates to the “Son of the Father,” may have added further discomfort to the early Christian transcribers of the Bible.

wine – which he initially refused but eventually acquiesced to her wishes.

This strongly suggests that Mary had witnessed earlier miracles not chronicled in the Christian bible.

Therefore, many Bible experts believe it would be supremely naïve to believe that Mary had not witnessed earlier miracles by Jesus during his growing-up years. “It must have been phenomenal for her to realise -- according to Christian theology here – that she was rearing ‘God becoming man’ – God with us. How do you handle that?”

(Professor Paul L. Maier, Ph.D, Western University.)

WHEN DID MARY BECOME A WIDOW? It is surmised that Mary became a widow when her husband Joseph died during Jesus’ teenage years.

Bible researchers believe Joseph died during that time because the Bible stopped mentioning him.

DID MARY CHILDREN?

HAVE

OTHER

The New Testament only states that Jesus had four brothers and that he also had sisters (sisters is stated in the plural context, however the exact number of sisters is nowhere cited in the Christian Bible, neither are his sisters named): “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers called James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?

And are not all his sisters with us?”

(Matthew 13:55-56, RSV).

Also, the Gospel of Mark corroborates this: “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon and are not his sisters here with us?”

WAS MARY FIRST TO SEE JESUS’ MIRACLES? Though the New Testament Bible clearly states that Jesus’ first (public) miracle was at a wedding feast in Cana, most Bible experts subscribe to the belief that Mary had seen or was aware of Jesus’ miraculous powers (before) his first public Miracle at Cana.

Even so, some (non-canonical) ancient texts cite two sisters as Anne (named after Mary’s mother), and Lydia. Anything beyond these two names is thought to be without adequate foundation and remains purely in the realm of conjecture.

Scripture clearly states that Mary knew beforehand (at the wedding feast in Cana) that her son, Jesus, held miraculous powers. This is evident in that she prodded him to perform his first public miracle of turning water into wine, despite his initial resistance to do so, as he first replied to her: “Mother, it is not yet my time.” (John 2:1-11) If one is to subscribe to Biblical scripture, then this would clearly affirm that Mary was fully aware of Jesus’ miraculous powers before his first public miracle, as she prodded him to turn water into

Ponderous question marks among scholars and countless millions of religious devotees down through the ages are how Mary of Nazareth met her demise and where?

MARY’S DEATH.

MYSTERIOUS

Even the cause and location of the death of her son, Jesus, is better known. That he died by crucifixion at Golgotha and was laid to rest in the burial place of Joseph of Arimathea is mentioned in all four Gospels of the New Testament and, Mary continued on page 13

The Paper • Page 13 • December 28, 2023

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by Christian scholars.

In contrast, this is bountiful data compared to the cause and locale of Mary of Nazareth’s death. At one time, the Greek city of Ephesus was mentioned as a possible burial place for Mary because the disciple John (whom Jesus entrusted his mother to when he was dying on the wooden cross), visited there as an olde man and, therefore, Mary, might have died there.

However, ancient first-century texts reveal that the aging disciple John arrived at Ephesus, accompanied only by Prohor, and that Mary was conspicuously absent. Biblical researchers believe that Mary had died prior to John’s journey to Ephesus, as John never left her when she was alive, as the dying Jesus requested.

Since the New Testament says nothing regarding Mary’s final days, researchers have only questionable apocryphal books of the Bible to refer. Dissecting hidden truth from fiction is a formidable task. However, it is discerned that Mary may have died of olde age (perhaps 67) and is buried somewhere in Jerusalem (and not Ephesus).

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Although this ancient manuscript is unproven, this would be a fitting place for Mary’s burial place since the Garden of Gethsemane was where her son, Jesus, and his disciples were said to have gathered often, and also the Bible declares it the place where Jesus prayed in anguish the night before his crucifixion.

In the final analysis, the exact location of Mary’s final resting place remains shrouded in mystery. As with her younger years, there is no mention in the Christian New Testament bible of her burial place.

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commanded his angel Gabriel to proclaim to her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found great favour with God.” The so-called God of the Holy Bible, could have selected any woman to be his Earthly mother.

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A simple, humble, peasant girl, possibly illiterate, frightened and confused. A young teenaged Jewish girl from the hills of Nazareth, who would someday grow-up and be known and revered throughout the world – and history – as “The Mother of God.”

Even her adult years are scarcely outlined, leaving much to the imagination. However, if one is to embrace and subscribe to Christian belief, then it is a requirement of faith to see her as the Holy Book describes through the eyes of a divine God: “The Most Blessed Of Women.”

And a teenager, of whom a deity

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One ancient manuscript says Jesus would give instructions to Peter on the burial place of his earthly mother. The ancient writing is translated as giving the burial place at: “The Garden of Gethsemane, outside the walls of Jerusalem, in the Valley of Jeoshaphat, across from the river Chedron.”

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The Paper • Page 14 • December 28, 2023

Problem Solved from page 6

Historically Speaking from page 7

be returning your products the oldfashioned way -- by mailing them back to Amazon.

worked out a deal to purchase certain assets of the Willys-Overland Corporation, makers of Willys cars and military Jeep vehicles.

First things first. I publish the names, numbers and emails of Amazon’s customer service executives on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org. I reviewed your paper trail and noticed that you hadn’t appealed to one of the higher-ups. I also have some helpful tips on how to return a product in this free guide.

How do you avoid a problem like this? If you’re going to return something through Whole Foods, make sure you collect evidence of the return. The Amazon system generates an email the moment the package is in the system, so wait for the email before leaving. Also, take pictures of the box, the inside of the box, even the associate helping you. All of those things could be important if your return gets lost.

As it turns out, this was not a problem with the Amazon return system. An Amazon spokeswoman said something may have gone awry during the return shipping process. The box Amazon received was damaged, and it’s possible the surge protector fell out during transit with the carrier.

If you had a photo of the box with the surge protector inside it, that might have helped Amazon decide this case in your favor. Instead, it assumed that you sent it an empty box and kept the surge protector.

I contacted Amazon on your behalf, and it refunded the charge.

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy (https://elliottadvocacy.org), a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him at https://elliottadvocacy.org/help/ © 2023 Christopher Elliott.

Kaiser-Frazer also made agreements with General Motors not only to purchase GM’s “Hydramatic” (automatic) transmissions for its “Kaiser” series, but also had a signed agreement for Oldsmobile engines with deliveries starting in the 1952 model year. That deal was cancelled due to factory expansion restrictions put in place by the federal government during the 1950-54 Korean War. On the competitive U.S. automotive market “Frazer” units ended up suffering as a luxury vehicle as were those cars offered by Hudson and Studebaker during the 1950s.

The last “Kaiser” series units were produced during the 1955 model year. A total of some 760,000 automobiles were made between May 1946 and September 1955.

U.S. production of Kaiser and Willys passenger cars ceased during the 1955 model year, but production of Willys Jeeps in the company’s Toledo, Ohio plant continued. Kaiser continued his overseas automobile production and the Willys passenger cars were produced in Brazil under the “Willys-Overland” brand into the 1960s.

The company changed its name to Kaiser Jeep in 1963. By 1969, Kaiser Industries left the auto business, which was sold to American Motors Corporation (AMC) in 1970. As part of the transaction, Kaiser acquired a 22 percent interest in AMC, which still operates today and is best known as the manufacturer of the military “Humvee” and civilian “Hummer heavy-duty vehicles.”

In his later years, Kaiser founded the Honolulu suburban community of Hawaiʻi Kai on the island of Oahu.

Kaiser also financed the development of Panorama City, a planned community in the San Fernando Valley portion of Los Angeles.

Kaiser built the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki (Honolulu), and later developed a chain of radio and television stations which became known as Kaiser Broadcasting. Kaiser died at 85 in Honolulu on Aug. 24, 1967.

Today, the name “Kaiser” lives on with the gigantic Kaiser Permanente Hospitalization Insurance organization. The unit names of Kaiser, Fraser, and Henry J automobiles, now part of the nation’s automotive history, occasionally can be found driving along the streets and highways of America, but mostly in museums and car clubs.

Chuckles from page 2 As a joke, my brother used to hang a pair of panty hose over his fireplace at Christmas.

He said all he wanted was for Santa to fill them. What they say about Santa checking the list twice must be true because every Christmas morning, although Jay’s kids’ stockings were overflowed, his poor pantyhose hung sadly empty.

One year I decided to make his dream come true. I put on sunglasses and went in search of an inflatable love doll. They don’t sell those things at Wal-Mart. I had to go to an adult bookstore downtown.

If you’ve never been in an X-rated store, don’t go. You’ll only confuse yourself. I was there an hour saying things like, “What does this do?” “You’re kidding me!” “Who would buy that?”

Finally, I made it to the inflatable doll section. I wanted to buy a standard, uncomplicated doll. One that could also substitute as a passenger in my truck so I could use the carpool lane during rush hour.

Finding what I wanted was difficult. Love dolls come in many different models. The top of the line, according to the side of the box, could do things I’d only seen in a book on animal husbandry.

I settled for ‘Lovable Louise.”

She was at the bottom of the price scale. To call Louise a “doll” took a huge leap of imagination.

On Christmas Eve, with the help of an old bicycle pump, Louise came to life. My sister-in-law was in on the plan and let me in during the wee morning hours, long after Santa had come and gone, I filled the dangling pantyhose with Louise’s pliant legs and bottom. I also ate some cookies and drank what remained of a glass of milk on a nearby tray. I went home, and giggled for a couple of hours.

The next morning my brother called to say that Santa had been to his house and left a present that had made him VERY happy but had left the dog confused. She would bark, start to walk away, then come back and bark some more.

We all agreed that Louise should remain in her panty hose so the rest of the family could admire her when they came over for the traditional Christmas dinner.

My grandmother noticed Louise the moment she walked in the door.

“What the hell is that?” she asked.

My brother quickly explained, “It’s a doll.”

“Who would play with something like that?” Granny snapped. I had several candidates in mind, but kept my mouth shut.

“Where are her clothes?” Granny continued.

“Boy, that turkey sure smells nice, Gran,” Jay said, trying to steer her into the dining room. But Granny was relentless.

“Why doesn’t teeth?”

she

have

any

Again, I could have answered, but why would I? It was Christmas and no one wanted to ride in the back of the ambulance saying, “Hang on Granny! Hang on!”

My grandfather, a delightful old man with poor eyesight, sidled up to me and said, “Hey, who’s the naked gal by the fireplace?”

I told him she was Jay’s friend.

A few minutes later I noticed Grandpa by the mantel, talking to Louise. Not just talking, but actually flirting. It was then that we realized this might be Grandpa’s last Christmas at home.

The dinner went well. We made the usual small talk about who had died, who was dying, and who should be killed, when suddenly Louise made a noise that sounded a lot like my father in the bathroom in the morning. Then she lurched from the panty hose, flew around the room twice, and fell in a heap in front of the sofa.

The dog screamed. I passed cranberry sauce through my nose, and Grandpa ran across the room, fell to his knees, and began administering mouth to mouth resuscitation.

My brother fell back over his chair and wet his pants. Granny threw down her napkin, stomped out of the room, and sat in the car.

It was indeed a Christmas to treasure and remember.

Later in my brother’s garage, we conducted a thorough examination and found the cause of Louise’s collapse. We discovered that Louise had suffered from a hot ember to the back of her right thigh. Fortunately, thanks to a wonder drug called gorilla tape, we restored her to perfect health.

Louise went on to star in several bachelor party movies. I think Grandpa still calls her whenever he can get out of the house.

I hope that every time you see “Stockings hung by the chimney with care” you think of me and Louise.

The Paper • Page 15 • December 28, 2023

LEGALS

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022486 The name of the business: Fancy Plantings, located at 10990 Magnolia Avenue, Carlsbad, CA 92008. Registrant Information: Patricia Lynn Phaneuf, 1090 Magnolia Avenue, Carlsbad, CA 92008. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: N/A /s/ Patricia Lynn Phaneuf with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 11/3/2023 11/23, 11/30, 12/7, 12/14/2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9021707 The name of the business: PPPMC, Priceless Production Promotional Management Clothing Company, located at 11221 Canyon Park Drive, Santee, CA 92071.

Registrant Information: Jonathan Price, 11221 Canyon Park Drive, Santee, CA 92071. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 10/24/2023 /s/ Jonathan Price with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 10/24/2023 11/23, 11/30, 12/7, 12/14/2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022456 The name of the business: Sign Shop San Diego, Elite Printworks, located at 1330 Keystone Way, Ste D, Vista, CA 92081. Registrant Information: Scott Drake Worrell, 415 Auburn Ave., San Marcos, CA 92069. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 10/26/2023 /s/ Scott Drake Worrell with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 11/2/2023 11/23, 11/30, 12/7, 12/14/2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022983 The name of the business: Munn LLC, Everest Coast, located at 2712 Locker Ave West, Suite 1121, Carlsbad, CA 92010.

Registrant Information: Munn LLC, 2712 Locker Ave. West, Suite 1121, Carlsbad, CA 92010.

This business is operated by a Limited Liability Company. First day of business: N/A /s/ Adolf Singh, Managing Member with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 11/13/2023 12/7, 12/14, 12/21, 12/28/2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9023401 The name of the business: Jeff The Solar Guy, located at 721 Arthur Ave., Oceanside, CA 92057.

Registrant Information: Jeffrey William Massidda, 721 Arthur Ave., Oceanside, CA 92057.

This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 11/15/2023 /s/ Jeffrey William Massidda with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 11/20/2023 12/7, 12/14, 12/21, 12/28/2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9023612 The name of the business: Romel Taxi, located at 3439 Northwood Dr., Oceanside, CA 92058.

Registrant Information: Romel Karmouche, 3439 Northwood Dr., Oceanside, CA 92058.

This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 11/22/2023 /s/ Romel Karmouche with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 11/22/2023 12/7, 12/14, 12/21, 12/28/2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9023610 The name of the business: Stella

Cab, located at 525 Avennida Verde, San Marcos, CA 92069.

Registrant Information: Antoine Abikhalil, 525 Avenida Verde, San Marcos, CA 92069. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: N/A /s/ Antoine Abikhalil with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/ Recorder of San Diego on 11/22/2023 12/7, 12/14, 12/21, 12/28/2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9023604 The name of the business: AV CAB, located at 3108 Jacqueline Lane, Oceanside, CA 92056.

Registrant Information: Alberto Venegas, 3108 Jacqueline Lane, Oceanside, CA 92056.

This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 11/22/2023 /s/ Alberto Venegas with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 11/22/2023 12/7, 12/14, 12/21, 12/28/2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9023750 The name of the business: Speakers Inc., Wespeak Global, located at 1902 Wright Place, Carlsbad, CA 92008. Registrant Information: Hesketh Media LLC, 1902 Wright Place, Carlsbad, CA 92008. This business is operated by a Limited Liability Company. First day of business: 11/04/2021 /s/ Duncan Hesketh, Managing Member with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 11/27/2023 12/7, 12/14, 12/21, 12/28/2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9023915 The name of the business: North Cab, located at 13139 Russet Leaf Ln., San Diego, CA 92129.

Registrant Information: Zabie Wahab, 13139 Russet Leaf Ln., San Diego, CA 92129. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: N/A /s/ Zabie Wahab with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 11/29/2023 12/7, 12/14, 12/21, 12/28/2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9023968 The name of the business: Exray, located at 1847 Jamaica Way, Vista, CA 92081. Registrant Information: Connected Threads LLC, 1847 Jamaica Way, Vista, CA 92081. This business is operated by a Limited Liability Company. First day of business: 11/27/2023 /s/ Brennan Cassidy, COO with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 11/29/2023 12/7, 12/14, 12/21, 12/28/2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9024214 The name of the business: R3 Investigative Services, located at 2110 Hawley Dr., Vista, CA 92084. Registrant Information: Rachel Uchida-McCord, 2110 Hawley Dr., Vista, CA 92084.

This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: N/A /s/ Rachel Uchida-McCord with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 12/01/2023 12/7, 12/14, 12/21, 12/28/2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9022798 The name of the business: Desert Flower Crochet, located at 36236 Old Wilson Road, Ranchita, CA 92066. Registrant Information: Nicole Suzanne McClanahan, 36236 Old Wilson Road, Ranchita, CA 92066. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: N/A /s/ Nicole Suzanne McClanahan

with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 11/8/2023 12/7, 12/14, 12/21, 12/28/2023 NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF QINGHAN WANG Case No. 37-2023-00025973 PR-PL-CTL SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO 1100 Union Street San Diego, CA. 92101 CENTRAL (Probate) To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate or both, of Qangwen Ji; Charmaine Ji;; Susanna Segobiano. A petition for probate has been filed by Charmaine Ji in the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego, 1100 Union Street, San Diego, CA. 92101. Central Courthouse, Probate Division. The Petition for Probate requests that Charmaine Je be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.

The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed actions.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: January 2, 2024 Time: 10:30am.

Dept: 504 Address of court: Same as noted above.

If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.

If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in Section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.

760.943.7103 DOP: 12/14, 12/21 & 12/28/2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9023429 The name of the business: Zak’s Clothing & Uniform, located at 620 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido, CA 92025. Registrant Information: Tuff Wear Inc., 620 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido, CA 92025. This business is operated by a Corporation. First day of business: 10/01/2023 /s/ Hussain Alenazi, President with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 11/20/2023 12/14, 12/21, 12/28, 1/4/2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9023401 The name of the business: Jeff The Solar Guy, located at 721 Arthur Ave., Oceanside, CA 92057.

Registrant Information: Jeffrey William Massidda, 721 Arthur Ave., Oceanside, CA 92057.

This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 11/15/2023 /s/ Jeffrey William Massidda with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 11/20/2023 12/14, 12/21, 12/28, 1/4/2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9024207 The name of the business: Kirras Tutoring Services, located at 1019 San Juan Street, Oceanside, CA 92058. Registrant Information: Kirra Hope Press, 1019 San Juan Street, Oceanside, CA 92058.

This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: N/A /s/ Kirra Hope Press with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 12/1/2023 12/14, 12/21, 12/28, 1/4/2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9023545 The name of the business: Dhong Thanh Nguyen, 537 Rush Dr., Apt 148, San Marcos, CA 92078.

Registrant Information: Dhong Thanh Nguyen, 537 Rush Dr., Apt 148, San Marcos, CA 92078.

This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 11/21/2023 /s/ Dhong Thanh Nguyen with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 11/21/2023 12/14, 12/21, 12/28, 1/4/2023 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9023545 The name of the business: Phong Thanh Nguyen, 537 Rush Dr., Apt 148, San Marcos, CA 92078.

Registrant Information: Phong Thanh Nguyen, 537 Rush Dr., Apt 148, San Marcos, CA 92078.

This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 11/21/2023 /s/ Phong Thanh Nguyen with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 11/21/2023 12/14, 12/21, 12/28, 1/4/2023

You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9024540 The name of the business: Smith Cab, llocated at 3579 Surf Pl., Oceanside, CA 92056. Registrant Information: Bradley H Smith, 3579 Surf Pl., Oceanside, CA 92056. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: N/A /s/ Bradley H Smith with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 12/6/2023 12/14, 12/21, 12/28, 1/4/2023

Attorney for petitioner: Russell M. De Phillips 2163 Newcastle Avenue, Suite 200, Cardiff by the Sea, CA. 92007

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9024200 The name of the business: Softcom Company, located at 4418 Mount

Lindsey Ave., San Diego, CA 92117. Registrant Information: Motomi Ito, 4418 Mount Lindsey Ave., San Diego, CA 92117.

This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 2/1/1984 /s/ Motomi Ito with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 12/1/2023 12/14, 12/21, 12/28, 1/4/2023 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME 37-2023-00053052-CU-PT-NC TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner Ana Maria Morales Gonzalez filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: Luis Enrique Villa Morales to Proposed name Henry Meza. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted.

Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objections that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 1/26/2024, 8:30 am, in Dept.

25 No hearing will occus on above date.

The address of the court is: 325 S. Melrose, Vista, CA. 92081. A copy of the Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: San Marcos News Reporter, dba, The Paper, 845 W. San Marcos Blvd, San Marcos, Ca. 92078. Dated January 30, 2023 /s/ Brad A. Weinreb, Judge of the Superior Court 12/14, 12/21, 12/28, 1/4/2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9024894 The name of the business: Top Tier Contracting, located at 4985 Eucalyptus Ln., Carlsbad, CA 92008. Registrant Information: BD Young Enterprise Inc., 4985 Eucalyptus Ln., Carlsbad, CA 92008. This business is operated by a Corporation. First day of business: N/A /s/ Dezarae Young, CEO with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 12/13/2023 12/21, 12/28, 1/4, 1/11/2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9024691 The name of the business: Rad Jammer Designs, located at 2492 Longstaff Ct., San Marcos, CA 92078. Registrant Information: Calista Mikel Mejia, 2492 Longstaff Ct., San Marcos, CA 92078. This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: 12/7/2023 /s/ Calista Mikel Mejia with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 12/8/2023 12/21, 12/28, 1/4, 1/11/2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9023811 The name of the business: St. Malo Apartments, located at 1741 S. Myers Street, Oceanside, CA 92054. Registrant Information: HILP-Apartments, LLC, 10490 Camino Del Venado, Valley Center, CA 92082. This business is operated by a Limited Liability Company. First day of business: 3/4/2019 /s/ Harold C.J. Coyledall with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on

11/28/2023 12/28, 1/4, 1/11, 1/18/2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9024696 The name of the business: KC’s Cab, located at 1905 Maxson St., Oceanside, CA 92054. Registrant Information: KC’s Dessert First LLC, 1905 Maxson St., Oceanside, CA 92054. This business is operated by a Limited Liability Company. First day of business: 3/4/2019 /s/ victor Cruz, CEO with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 12/8/2023 12/28, 1/4, 1/11, 1/18/2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9024836 The name of the business: Giant Pizza NY Style, located at 16588 Bernardo Center Dr. suite 150, Rancho Bernardo, CA 92128.

Registrant Information: Prince Ali Foods Inc, 16588 Bernardo Center Dr. Suite 150, Rancho Bernardo, CA 92128. This business is operated by a Corporation. First day of business: 12/11/2023 /s/ Ali T Ahmed, CEO with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 11/28/2023 12/28, 1/4, 1/11, 1/18/2024 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2023-9024694 The name of the business: Ride Taxi, located at 1905 Maxson St., Oceanside, CA 92054. Registrant Jonathan Cruz, 1905 Maxson St., Oceanside, CA 92054.

This business is operated by an Individual. First day of business: N/A /s/ Jonathan Cruz with Jordan Z. Marks, SD County Clerk/Recorder of San Diego on 12/88/2023 12/28, 1/4, 1/11, 1/18/2024 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME 37-2023-00055375-CU-PT-NC TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner James Russell Booth filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: James Russell Booth to Proposed name Boothy James Russell Booth.

THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objections that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted.

If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 2/9/2024, 8:30 am, in Dept.

25 The address of the court is: 325 S. Melrose, Vista, CA. 92081.

No hearing will occur on above date: see attachment. A copy of the Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: San Marcos News Reporter, dba, The Paper, 845 W. San Marcos Blvd, San Marcos, Ca. 92078. Dated December 22, 2023 /s/ Brad A. Weinreb, Judge of the Superior Court 12/28, 1/4, 1/11, 1/18/2024

The Paper • Page 16 • December 28, 2023

Join Humane Society at the Walk for Animals!

Join the San Diego Humane Society in Escondido or San Diego as we fundraise and Walk for Animals.

When you join the Walk for Animals, you’re part of a community dedicated to creating a more humane San Diego for pets, wildlife and people. This is the best walk you’ll take all year! You’ll connect with other animal lovers and enjoy festivities including a pancake breakfast, dog activities, pet-friendly vendors and more — all while making a life-changing difference for animals in need. Saving thousands of animals this year is possible with your help. Sign up today to walk and fundraise on behalf of the animals!

By participating in the Walk for AnLocal News from page 4 • Place trimmed tree inside your green organics cart with the lid closed • Artificial and flocked trees are not recyclable and must be placed in trash Vista • Remove all lights, ornaments, tinsel and the tree stand • Trees over four feet should be cut in half • Place trimmed tree inside your green organics cart with the lid closed • Artificial and flocked trees are not recyclable and must be placed in trash Unincorporated San Diego County (including 4S Ranch, Bonsall, Borrego Springs, Fallbrook, Julian, Mount Laguna, Pala, Palomar Mountain, Pauma Valley, Ranchita, Santa Ysabel, Valley Center, and Warner Springs) If you live in an unincorporated unincorporated regions of the county your curbside guidance varies depending on your contracted hauler.

Please contact one of the following haulers for additional guidance Drop Off Locations Carlsbad December 26 - January 14 Calaveras Park 2997 Glasgow Dr Poinsettia Park 6600 Hidden Valley Rd Stagecoach Park 3420 Camino del los Coches City of Carlsbad Fire Station I 1275 Carlsbad Village Dr. Palomar Transfer Station 5960 El Camino Real

and out of shelters, respond to natural disasters and so much more.

There are two walks to choose from.

Sign up at: https://secure.sdhumane.org/site/ TR?fr_id=1441&pg=entry imals, you make it possible for San Diego Humane Society to give more than 40,000 pets and wild animals a second chance each year. Every dollar raised through the Walk for Animals is immediately put to good use by helping San Diego Humane Society shelter homeless pets, investigate animal cruelty, care for orphaned kittens, provide lifesaving veterinary care, rehabilitate native wildlife, keep pets in their homes

Walk for Animals North County Kit Carson Park March 16, 2024 Walk for Animals San Diego NTC Park at Liberty Station May 4, 2024 Every dollar raised makes a lifesaving difference for more than 40,000 animals who rely on us for a second chance.

Del Mar December 26 - January 19 Del Mar Public Works 2240 Jimmy Durante Boulevard

San Marcos December 26 - January 5 Senior Center 111 Richmar Ave

Escondido December 26 - January 5

San Pasqual Valley December 26th - January 7th San Pasqual Valley Soils 16111 Old Milky Way, 746-4769 www.spvsoils.com Hours of operation: Monday - Friday: 7am-4:30 pm Saturday: 7am-2:30pm Sunday: Closed

Kit Carson Park– south entrance, first parking lot on the right, across front the adult softball complex 3333 Bear Valley Parkway Jesmond Dene Park– parking lot next to the ball fields 2401 N Broadway Oceanside January 1 - January 31 El Corazon Compost Facility 3210 Oceanside Blvd.

7:30am- 5pm Monday - Friday 8am-4pm Saturday Closed Sunday

• No flocked or artificial trees accepted.

Valley Center December 26 - January 5 Valley Center Elementary School Lower parking lot 28751 Cole Grad Road

To qualify for free drop off, Christmas trees must:

Vista December 26 - January 5

• Come from personal residences/ non-commercial sources.

• Be free of ornaments, stands, flocking and netting.

• No artificial trees accepted

Public lot on Vale Terrace Drive at Williamston, located across the street from Vista Community 1000 Vale Terrace Drive

https://agriserviceinc.com

Parking lot on the corner of S. Melrose Drive & Shadowridge Drive

Letters from page 4 promised that any charges would be refunded promptly.

I got the changes made quickly, and sent the requested documentation to AQV on October 27.

Three months later we still hadn’t received a refund, so I contacted the reimbursement department at AQV via email. It seemed that there isn’t anyone at that department, as I never got a response and you can’t reach anyone by telephone. I found an address for their customer service department and contacted them another month later. I was promised that a refund would be issued ‘within three months’. Our friends were on the same trip, and made their flights through AAA. They had their refund in one week, but since I made our flights myself, we were obviously treated differently.

This email back and forth went on until July 19, 2023 when they stopped responding to my emails.

My last message to them was on September 15, which was also unanswered. On November 6, 2023 I wrote to the Travel Troubleshooter, and explained the situation. I provided them the documentation and emails between myself and AQV. They initially contacted AQV on November 7, and followed up on November 29, when I notified them that I had not heard anything. Then lo and behold, I received a check for the refund in full on December 19, 2023. Almost one year and two months after my initial request for a refund.

I highly recommend to your readers that if they ever have travel problems, Christopher Elliott’s group can help you out immensely. They were extremely prompt, answering my initial email the next day, and contacting AQV the same day. I honestly think we would not have received a refund without their help.

Terry Hardy, Escondido

Read The Paper online at

www.thecommunitypaper.com